schn etzer



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Patented Oct. 22, 1895.

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(No Model.)

A. SCHNETZER. SORTING AND CLEANING MACHINE FOR GRAIN 0R MILLING'PRODUGTS.

ANDREW ABRAHAMPHU'I'OUTNQWASHINGTON, RC

(No Model.) s Sheets-Sheet 2. A; SGHN'ETZER. SORTING AND GLEANING MACHINE FOR GRAIN 0R MILLING PRODUCTS. No. 548,328. Patented Oct. 22, 1895.

l/ kltil l i ll W/llllllll/d'lllll/ll/ll/lm i I i i mun ANDREW BYGRANAM. PNOTO-LITHQWASNINGTON. DC

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. A. SGHNETZER. SORTING AND CLEANING MACHINE FOR GRAIN OR MILLING PRODUCTS,

No. 548,328. Patented 001;.ZZ,1895.

ANDREW 9.6mm. RHOTO-UTHQWASHINGTDNDJ).

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST SCHNETZER, OF BUDA-PESTH, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

SORTING AND CLEANING MACHINE FOR GRAIN OR MILLING PRODUCTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Batent No. 548,328, dated October 22, 1895. Application filed November 24, 1894, Gerlal No. 529,858. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUGUST SOHNETZER, mill-director, of Buda-Pesth, in the Kingdom of Hungary, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sorting and Cleaning Machines for Grain or Milling Products, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a machine for separating or sorting and cleaning grain and milling products of all kinds, the grit, dust, and other foreign matters being removed from the grain, and the grain or milling products sorted according to their specificweights and volumes by means of an air-current produced by suction or exhaustion, the path of the air-current and the regulation of the same in or through the machine being such that with the smallest consumption of power perfect results are obtained, the desired degrees in the quality of the cleaned and sorted material being readily obtained.

The machine may be arranged on the ceiling of the room or building, or on the floor thereof, or directly adjoining the apparatus in which the grain or material to be sorted and cleaned is prepared.

A dual or twin arrangement of a machine constructed according to my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a view in front elevation. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section on the line a: 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section on the line y y of Fig. 2, and Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are detail Views.

Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters and figures of reference.

The grain or other material to be treated is fed through the opening A and the charge or quantity is regulated by the delivery-roller e by means of the adjusting device f. (See Fig. 2.) It then falls in a uniform stream into the interior of the apparatus, where it meets a current of air, which throws off the several particles, according to their weight and volume, so that they can be collected in separate compartments or channels. The current of air is produced by any suitable exhausting or suction arrangement, which is connected to the apparatus at the opening D. By means of the slide (shown separately in Figs. 4 and 5) the current of air may be regulated in a simple manner with respect to its direction, with reference to the material to be sorted and cleaned, and also with respect to its cross-sectional area. The main slide b is adapted to be moved by means of an adjusting device a, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) and moves in a vertical direction over the opening 0 in the front end wall of the casing, so that by rotating the adjusting device 00 the distance of the air-inlet from the feed-inlet of the material to be sorted and cleaned, and consequently the direction of the air-current, may be regulated. On the front of this main slide b there are two outoff slides a c, which serve to close'or uncover the opening I) in the main slide 1). This arran gem ent enables the cross-section al area of the air-current itself to be regulated, so that the several particles or grains of the material to be cleaned and sorted are carried to a dis tance corresponding therewith. The cut-off slides c 0' can be fixed by means of the thumbnuts 0 0 As in this apparatus the quality or weight of the products collected in the several compartments or channels depends on the height of the partitions forming such compartments or channels and also on their position with relation to the air-inlet, these compartments or channels are constructed in such a manner that the material under treatment can be caught or carried up at all possible points. The adjustability ot' the catching edges or partitions of the compartments or channels is efiected by means of the slides d, (shown separately in Figs. 6 and 7,) which are capable of being moved in a vertical direction by means of screws Z and adjusting devices Z from the outside, and the upper portions d of the same can be turned about the pivot Z into the po-- sitions shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 7. A guide or clip Z and thumb-nut Z as shown in Fig. 7, is provided for fixing the upper portion d of the slides d in any desired position. This adjustment can be effected through an opening in the side of the apparatus, normally closed by a door 771.. The material, after treatment, falls through the openings n in the bottom of the compartments or channels into sacks or other receptacles placed there for the purpose. The openings n are closed by means of the flaps n, n, n 01 and n, which are kept normally closed by the suction or partial vacuum produced by the air-current.

The cleaning process is aided by the action of auxiliary currents of air, which enter through openings or, provided in the bottom or floor of the apparatus, and can be regulated by means of flaps K, pivoted on shafts K and pass through the openings 0 0' into the compartments or channels where they intermingle with the falling material under treatment, causing it to whirl round, the result being that the lighterparticles are thrown up and caught by the main air-current.

The peculiar general arrangementof the apparatus has very considerable influence upon the mode of operation of the machine. The air is drawn through the apparatus at a constant suction through the opening D, which is situated as near as possible to the top and is opposite to the regulating-slides b c 0, so that there is produced in the apparatus a main current of air, having the direction indicated by the feathered arrows. The casing is of rectangular form in cross-section and is contracted at the front end bythe walls to of the inlet-hopper and at the bottom by the compartments or channels. The latter are arranged in such a manner that the highest partition of the same is turned toward the front end wall and the height of the said partitions diminished toward the rear wall of the apparatus, where the openingD is situated. By this means the clear cross-sectional area of the apparatus is smallest at the inlet and becomes greater toward the opening D, so that the velocity of the air-current is greatest at the slide 1) and decreases toward the opening D. The latter may be regulated by means of slides D and adjusting devices D There is also a lower air-inlet E provided in the front end wall of the apparatus. The air entering through this inlet E has an action analogous to that of the currents of air entering through the openings 00 and is, like the last-mentioned currents, indicated by plain-11. e., not featheredarrows in Fig. 2.

The manner of operation of the hereinbefore-described apparatus is as follows: The current of air is drawn through the apparatus and out at the opening D therein. The particles of the grain or the material under treatment entering at the inlet A are caught by the strongest current and drawn to a distance proportionate to the position of the slides 12 c c, the heaviest particles falling into the channel 1, the lighter particles into the channel 2, and so on. In falling down the material under treatment meets also an auxiliary current of air and is thereby whirled and intermingled, so that the lighter particles are carried up and into the next following compartment or channel or even beyond the same, while in each compartment or channel there is a definite quantity of cleaned and sorted material collected, which is completely uniform as regards quality, and which depends on the distance of the respective compartment or channel from the slide 1), the position of the latter, and the position of the slides (Z d. When the weight of the accumulated product upon the flap n or n or n or n or n of each separate compartment or channel becomes so great as to depress the said flap, then the compartment or channel becomes emptied.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1.In a machine forsorting and cleaning grain and the like constructed with an exhanst outlet D at one end and an inlet aperture O at the other end whereby an induced current is caused through the casing, the combination of the slide 1) covering the inlet (J, and adjusting device 00 moving said slide up or down to vary the position of the inlet, the cut-cit slides a, c to regulate its area a series of pockets 1, 2, 3, the. in which the material is delivered in different grades vertical slides 01 in the walls of the pockets to regulate the height of said walls and a second system of air inlets 0, 0' (he. at the lower part whereby ascending air currents are applied to the descending materials and the lighter particles therein delivered to the main current as ex plained.

2. In a machine for sorting and cleaning grain and the like having a casing with an exhanst opening at one end and an adjustable air inlet at the other, the combination of the receiving pockets 1, 2, 3, vertical slides (Z, d, to vary the height of the separating walls thereof and horizontally adjustable plates d, d, at top of said slides 61 to vary the horizontal position of the catching edges of the separating walls as explained.

3'. A machine for sorting and cleaning grain and the like constructed with an exhaust aperture at one end and an adjustable air inlet at the opposite end whereby air currents are passed through the machine in approximately horizontal direction, a series of pockets or receptacles at bottom in which the material is delivered in sorted grades, partitions between said receptacles having vertical slides to vary their height, terminating at top in hinged plates provided with means for securing them at any angle to which they may be deflected, thus enabling the catching edges of the several partitions of the receptacles to be ad justed in horizontal and vertical planes as set forth.

4:. A machine for sorting and cleaninggrain or milling products constructed with an air inlet at one end an air outlet at the other end, a series of compartments or channels for receiving the material treated in different grades, and vertically movable slides d on the partitions of the compartments or channels, with deflectable upper portions cl adapted to be fixed at the desired angle by means of In witness whereof I have hereunto setImy guides or lips Z and thumb nuts Z for the hand in presence of two witnesses. purpose of enabling the catching edge of the 1 several partitions to be adjusted both hori- 7 AUGUST SOHNETZER. zontally and vertically and the auxiliary air Witnesses: currents to be regulated, substantially as de- J OHANN WiiST,

scribed KARL FRANZLER. 

